Return
by romance-addict44
Summary: George returns to the Dancing Dove for the first time in several years for a late night meeting with Myles, bearing news that could topple the world of Tortall and shake the world to its core. With a little help from friends, both old and new....
1. The Dancing Dove

Disclaimer: I own nothing Tamora Pierce created

The dining room of the inn was emptying, leaving few but a stranger huddled in the corner by the fire, shrouded in a black cloak. This in itself was unusual, the Dancing Dove was usually at its busiest around this time at night. The man stared into the mug before him, the look on his face unreadable. An empty plate had been pushed away, a few crumbs still remaining. A pack rested at his feet, weather stained from travel. He was apparently lost in thought, and didn't seem to notice the two maids working to clean the room. The room held three tables in the center with four chairs each, and five smaller tables lined the wall, each having only two wooden chairs. The fireplace and hearth were on the far end, opposite the double doors leading onto the front porch. Lit lanterns hung above each table, some of them on their last legs, others newly replaced. There were only two windows, one on either side of the doors. The moon wasn't visible from inside, but outside it was nearly full. The town was quiet, most people sound asleep in bed.

George grinned, running his fingers over the rough surface of the table. There was still a chunk of wood missing from when Alanna had lost her temper. The lass was still a force to be reckoned with in a rage.

He scanned the room, taking in the many changes that had occurred in the past few years since he'd been gone. He was here to meet Myles. People wouldn't recognize him down here if he was careful. And it was well known that Myles spend many evenings here, drinking his way through the Dove's finest ale and wine.

His gaze was drawn to the door as it opened and a gust of air accompanied by a flurry of snowflakes swarmed in. An elder man with slumped shoulders in a heavy green cloak entered as well. His sharp, keen eyes darted around at the occupants of the room until they spotted George. As Myles settled into the chair across from him a barmaid brought a glass of wine. He ordered the same thing every night and by now every barmaid in the town knew what he liked.

George grinned.

"Good to see you old man."


	2. The Twelve Stones

"I presume there was a reason you had me meet you here at this blasted hour?" Myles asked, taking a sip of the drink in front of him. George leaned back in his chair and grinned.

"Who's to say I didn't do it just for the sake of 'scaping from my wife? The children, Aly and Alan in particular, are driving her off the wall." Myles smiled. George gave in.

"No, I need information. Have you heard of the Twelve Stones of Hyra?" he asked. Myles straightened.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"The Twelve Stones of Hyra." George repeated calmly. Myles moaned.

"Please tell me they have nothing to do with your visit," he all but begged. George smiled grimly.

"'Fraid I can't," he said. Myles sighed, staring into his glass. He didn't speak for a long moment, and when he did, his voice was low and weary.

"Most people think them a thing of legend. I know I did for a great part of my life. But I suppose as the head of the underworld for so many years you would have caught wind of something." He swallowed nervously.

"They're some of the most powerful relics of the old magic, when they're together, that is. Each had power of its own, and each is a different color. Blood red, black, blue, yellow, silver, green, purple, orange, light blue, pink, white and turquoise. Three of them are kept in the City of the Gods, under the protection of some of the best mages that reside in Tortall. They have never been used before. King Jonathan also has one, he carries it with him always. Many of the others were scattered all over the world just afterward. Rihadon, one of the most powerful mages this world has ever seen holds another. The other six were lost to the world, presumably forever. Those stones were the light blue, magenta, silver, green, blue and purple stones. Rihadon has the black one, the merfolk have the blue stone, the wizards have the orange, pink and yellow stones. They hold a terrible power, one I hope this world shall never see again. They have been used but once, and the results were cataclysmic." His face was grim.

"But what has this to do with anything? Surely they are safe..." His voice trailed into nothing. Silent, George reached into the pocket of his cloak and withdrew his fist. Myles held out his hand and stared in horror and dismay at the green stone that fell into the palm of his hand.


	3. Threats

"Where did you get that?" Myles asked, his hands tensing. George leaned back in his chair and folded his arms behind his head.

"One of my agents 'found' it," Myles stared at the stone.

"Jixie?" he asked. George nodded.

"She's a good lass. One of the best."

"She's come a long way." They sat in silence for several minutes, staring at the rock. It was ordinary in its appearance, as if it had been picked from the street. The uneven surface was unblemished, but overall it was an unremarkable stone.

"Are you sure it's not just a stone?" Myles asked. There was no being too careful with this much magic potentially involved. George grinned and wet his fingers.

"Do ordinary stones do this?" He pressed his fingers to the rocks surface. Instantly the part he'd touched lost its ordinary appearance and cleared, sparkling like a crystal. A pure light sprang from its surface, illuminating their faces better than the guttering candle on the table.

Myles reached out and covered it with the sleeves of his cloak.

"Are you mad?" he hissed at George, who looked rather unconcerned. George shrugged.

"Will you believe me now?" he replied steadily. "Jixie doesn't make mistakes, not when the consequences could be so catastrophic."

"Catastrophic is an understatement. If word gets out that your girl has found this it would be...cataclysmic to say the least. Rihadon might think we know where the others are, or worse, search for them herself. If she managed to gather them all, I doubt even Jonathan, with the Dominion Jewel could save us."


	4. Search

"I think it's time to show this to Numair," Myles said. "There's no way to be certain someone won't overhear us here."

* * *

Numair hastily pulled books off the shelves in his library, checking each title before replacing it. Daine and George watched as Myles puzzled over the stone in his hand.

"Are you quite sure you can't sense anything Numair?" he asked, his voice strained.

"But for what you've shown me I wouldn't know it's anything but a rock." the tall mage answered.

"What of Alanna, and her ember stone? Might that make a difference?" George asked. Both Myles and Numair turned to look at him.

"That's an idea," Numair mused, stroking his chin. Daine rose.

"I'll fetch her," she said, going to the window. Within moments she was gone, a bird among many in the sky. Numair stared wistfully after her for a moment before resuming his search though the extensive library.

"I have a book here somewhere that talks of the old magic. I only vaguely remember mention of the Twelve Stones of Hyra. Something along the lines of their properties and purpose." Myles gestured to the walls around him which were plastered with shelves of books.

"Any way we can help? Any idea as to the title?" Numair shook his head.

"Your guess is as good is mine. Feel free to look for all the good it'll do."

They searched on into the night. While Numair and George slept, Myles continued to pore over the books. When the others woke they joined him, and were well into the next day when Daine arrived with Alanna. The red headed knight was grouchy at the lack of information she had received, but grateful all the same to have a break from Aly and Alan. She was briefed by her husband, then told what they needed her for.

"I don't see anything," she said with a frown as she looked at the stone. "It's not the Gods work, and it's not the Gift either. Frankly, I don't have a clue. I've never even heard of these Stones of Tyra or whatever they are."

"Then it's even more important that we find that book," Numair said. Alanna recruited Raoul and Buri, as well as Queen Thayet to help search, for all the good it did them. Their search yielded nothing for nearly a week.

Finally, a victorious Myles held the book high. Numair skimmed through the pages until he found the right one, then read the paragraph aloud.

_Arguably the most powerful relics of the old magic, the Twelve Stones of Hyra are only remembered in ancient legends. When joined together, they have power to rival the Gods. Each have power of its own, and each is a different color. Blood red, black, blue, yellow, silver, green, purple, orange, light blue, pink, white and turquoise. They were scattered over the world when the city of Mikashan fell in the Blood Wars, and have never been seen again. They hold a terrible power, one this world hopes never see again. They have been used but once, and the results were cataclysmic. When Mikashan fell the mages who possessed them scattered in different directions, to the lands that now form the countries of Tortall, Tyra, Tusaine, the Copper Isles, Scanra, the Yamani Isles and Galla. _

Below was a list of each stone and its properties.

A/N: What should the stones properties be? And what does the Dominion Jewel look like?


	5. Kidnaped!

Arguably the most powerful relics of the old magic, the Twelve Stones of Hyra are only remembered in ancient legends. When joined together, they have power to rival the Gods. Each have power of its own, and each is a different color. Blood red, black, blue, yellow, silver, green, purple, orange, light blue, pink, white and turquoise. They were scattered over the world when the city of Mikashan fell in the Blood Wars, and have never been seen again. They hold a terrible power, one this world hopes never see again. They have been used but once, and the results were cataclysmic. When Mikashan fell the mages who possessed them scattered in different directions, to the lands that now form the countries of Tortall, Tyra, Tusaine, the Copper Isles, Scanra, the Yamani Isles and Galla.

_Below was a list of each stone and it's properties._

* * *

_Blood Red - Power of Control; allows the bearer control over an individuals mind, heart, body or soul. _

_Black - Power of Death and Shadows; allows control of shadows, ability to bend them to the bearers will._

_Blue - Power over Water; one of the four elemental stones, allows the bearer control over rivers, oceans, as well as varying degrees of control over the weather_

_Yellow - Power of Disease; can be used by the bearer to either combat illness or bring it about, creating disease for which there is no cure_

_Silver - Power over Metal; allows the bearer an affinity for metals, allowing them to sense weaknesses and flaws in metal objects_

_Green - Power over Plants and the Earth; another of the elemental stones, allows the bearer control over plants and earth in their surroundings_

_Purple - Power of Healing; the bearer may utilize it's powers to heal and/or cure an individual of any of various maladies and wounds_

_Orange - Power of Fire; the third of the elemental stones, allows the bearer control over fire_

_Light Blue - Power of Air; the last of the elemental stones, allows the bearer control over the air and varying degrees of control over the weather_

_Pink - Power of Divination and Truth; reveals to the bearer what is truth and what is false at any given time_

_White - Power of Life and Light; power over light and the ability to strengthen life, although unable to restore life to an individual once lost without costing the life of the bearer themself_

_Turquoise - Power of Attraction; known to bring the bearer good fortune, allies, wealth, friendship, glory, success, etc._

Those present exchanged worried looks. After a moment Numair cleared his throat.

"This only mentions the powers of the individual stones. Each stone in itself is only as powerful as the one who controls them; therefore, if your will is weak, the stones powers are weak. It is not using the stones as an individual that is catastrophic, it's when they are joined that they cause the most destruction."

* * *

Jixie sighed, stretched her legs, and resumed her cross-legged position. Her dark brown hair hung in ringlets down the side of her face, just brushing the tops of her shoulders. Closing her grey eyes she took a deep breath and forced herself not to panic. Eventually her heartbeat slowed and she was calm enough to take in her surroundings. The room was dark, but that was no problem for her eyes, which were used to the dark. There was no door in any wall; only the trapdoor in the ceiling through which she had apparently entered. There was no sign of any sort of ladder or anything tall enough to stand on. Not that it would have made a difference, because after a moment she noted that there was no latch on the inside. The only light came from the magelight floating near the ceiling, and that was but a faint glow. The room was composed of earthen walls, with nothing but the small mat which she now sat on to furnish it. The ropes on her wrists were gone, as was the blindfold that had covered her eyes. Her plain blue dress was torn, tattered and spotted with dirt.

She'd been ambushed leaving Pirates Swoop that morning after being informed that the Baron wasn't in residence. She'd been intending to send him a message in Corus, but her plans had been delayed.

There was a creak from above and suddenly the trapdoor opened, flooding the small cell with light. She got a glimpse of a pair of heavy brown boots as they descended the ladder which had been lowered into the room. The boots were followed shortly by a pair of breeches embroidered with a pattern of small triangles. Then came a tunic in brown and white, edged in gold. When the man had fully entered the cell he stood nearly six and a half feet tall, his head ducked so as not to touch the ceiling. His hair was dark, as were his eyes - looking into them was like looking into an empty well that went on and on and on. . . When he spoke, his voice was rich and smooth, perfectly pleasant for all that it was cold and empty, except for the slight hint of anger she sensed lay beneath his calm exterior.

"Where is the stone?"

A/N: I hope this was longer than the other ones and I hope it made sense. Thanks a lot to

Fire-Metal-Horse17 and Sea-Aggie for their ideas about the stones, they helped a lot!


	6. Missing

"What stone?" Jixie asked innocently. The man's expression stayed calm, though she sensed his displeasure. He gestured and the magelight grew brighter, giving her a better view of her surroundings. She could now see that the mans' clothes were made of silk and cotton - both costly. His hair, she saw, was streaked with silver, though instead of taking away from his looks they added to his regal presence. He was intimidating, but then again, so was the Baron when he was angry.

"I'll ask only one more time; where is the stone?" His voice was menacing now; perhaps feigning ignorance wasn't the best policy.

"Which stone?" she asked this time. He didn't miss the implied meaning - now he knew for sure she knew where it was.

"The one you stole from my friend, the mage in Port Caynn." She allowed herself a sarcastic smile.

"You mean Parsons? He wasn't much of a mage if you ask me. His security spells were hardly worth a copper. It was one of the easiest jobs I've had in months." It was true; the man had been a poor mage, but he certainly wasn't lacking the wealth to make up for it. In fact, it had taken her twice as long as usual to plan the burglary, and she'd had to convince her own mage, a boy by the name of Sam, to disable the spells. Her meager powers hadn't been anything near enough.

The man no longer bothered to conceal his frustration and anger at her cynical answers. It showed clearly in his haughty features, and something about the look in his eyes frightened her, something which was not an easy feat.

"Who sent you? You'll pay for the death of Parsons, mark my words, but not until I can ensure your master is repaid as well." So she was to live, at least for now. That was one good thing.

"Who sent me? I sent myself. I heard your man had something of value, something a poor lass might sell as to make a living."

"Then what business had you with the Baron of Pirates Swoop?" he barked in frustration. She swore silently. He'd been thorough enough to check her whereabouts of the past few days, as well as her reasons for being there.

"I'm courting one of the stable lads," she lied. "And my Auntie is one of the Baron's messengers. She had news of a recent pirate raid on the coast she bid me to take him." A pack of lies. Still, lying to save your life was better than dying for the truth. Years spent on the streets had taught her that time and again. The man frowned.

"We'll see," he said before leaving, taking the magelight with him and leaving her in complete darkness. Now that she was alone with her thoughts she reviewed the one thing about her conversation that had struck her as odd. The man had all but accused her of killing Parsons, yet when she had left he'd still been alive, if more than a bit infuriated. The implications of this made her blood run cold. Someone else knew he had had the stone. Someone else wanted it, someone who had no qualms about killing those in the way to get it. There was no way to warn the Baron that she could see, but she knew she had to. Up until today she had been oblivious to Parsons unknown benefactor, and now the Baron had two enemies he didn't know of. This was bad, bad indeed.

* * *

"We'll see what we can find. I'll send word to you as soon as we have something. See what else your agents can discover. If word of this gets out things could fall to pieces quickly, and we need to know more about the person who had this stone before your girl took it." After several more days of scouring the royal library with no results, George and Alanna were headed home. Myles and Numair intended to continue the search, but there was little else they could do. 

Now, as Pirates Swoop came into view, George decided that he was glad to be home. As their three young children raced out to greet them, followed by an exasperated nursemaid, he knew he wouldn't trade his life for anything. George looked up to see Sam Westover, the nephew of Aiden, the Captain of the Swoops' guard. The lad was of average height, with unruly light brown curls and green eyes. He leaned against the doorsill, a scowl on his face. He left the children in his wife's care and went to talk to him. It wasn't often Sam visited, and usually it was only when Jixie came to give reports. As he approached the lad's scowl deepened.

"Can I help you?" George asked politely. Sam folded his arms across his chest.

"Where's Jixie?" he asked, the anger evident in his voice. George raised his eyebrows.

"I haven't seen her for close to a month lad," he said. "What makes you think I know where she is?" He was willing to ignore Sam's rudeness; it was obvious he was upset.

"She told me she was coming here, and that she would be back in sometime around a week. She left nearly two weeks ago, and I haven't heard a word from her." This was news to George.

"Like I told you lad, she's not here. Are you sure-"

"Uncle Aiden said she was here a week ago and said she'd be back when you arrived."

"What do you say we go talk to your uncle and see what happened? I haven't heard a word of this; mind you, I've only just gotten back." Something about this wasn't right. Jixie wouldn't have come until next full moon unless it was urgent, and it wasn't more than two days ride from her home in Seigert, a small fishing village just up the coast. Something must have happened if she'd left nearly a week ago to go home and hadn't arrived.

The fact that she'd been the one to find the stone didn't escape him. This wasn't good at all.

* * *

A/N: For those of you who didn't catch that, Sam is Ersken's great great(however many greats there are) grandson. And I hope this chapter was long enough, I'm working on making each one longer than the last. 


	7. The Clearing

* * *

"And you let her leave?" George asked numbly for the third time, as though unable to comprehend the words coming from the mouth of the man before him. Captain Aiden was a tall, broad shouldered man with fair, slightly curled hair and clear blue eyes. His face was clean shaven, with a narrow nose.

He nodded.

"I told ye sir, the lass said she had business t home to attend to and to send for her when ye arrived."

"You said this happened six days ago?" The man nodded again.

"'Twas the full moon sir."

George swore.

"She could be anywhere!" Several days travel in any direction from the Swoop could put her anywhere in the realm before he caught up to her. He turned to Aiden, his mind made up.

"If anyone arrives looking for me, don't let them leave, _under any circumstances_."

"But sir, where are you going?" George's smile was thin.

"I'm going to find her."

* * *

"How is it that every time I think we're going to have a few days together, one of us always gets called away?" Alanna asked with a world weary sigh. George kissed his wife before mounting his horse, Firestream.

"Jixie's helped me so much in the past - I owe her this much." Alanna shook her head with a smile.

"Try not to take too long. I want to enjoy some of my holiday." She stroked the horses muzzle.

"Take care of him," she murmured. "I'd like my husband back in one piece if you can manage it." She sighed again.

"I wish I could come with you, but I've got so much to catch up on and..." They both looked up as hoofbeats sounded. George scowled at Sam.

"Go home lad. It's too dangerous for you to come." Sam shook his head.

"I'm coming, wether you like it or not. I can take care of myself." George glared at him.

"I said no," he growled, equally determined.

"George, let him go." Alanna said suddenly, a strange expression on her face.

"What?" he asked. "It's too dangerous..."

"He'll be fine." She looked up into his hazel eyes.

"Can't you see he needs to do this?" She whispered. "Just take him with you. If things get messy, you can send him back here to wait. He thinks it's his fault she's gone." George sighed.

"Fine," he said, resigned. "You can come. For now. But understand that if things get too crazy, I'll send you back home." Sam scowled, but murmured his assent.

The clearing was in ruins. The grass had been blown away, leaving loose black dirt. Blood marred the debris. Shattered trees lay in splinters all around.

"Jixie was here," George murmured, looking at a pair of small, feminine footprints at his feet. He straightened, his back sore from crouching on the ground. His eyes swept over the mess.

"Looks like a mage was too." Sam shook his head.

"No mage did this. Not unless he's as powerful as Master Numair himself."

"Then what did it?" George wondered out loud. Suddenly he cursed.

"One of those blasted stones I'd wager," he growled, glowering. "They've caused nothing but trouble."

"What stones?"

"It's what these men are after. Jixie stole one for me 'bout a month ago."

"So which way did they go?" Sam asked after a minute. George remounted and nodded down the road.

"The followed the road. I guess they didn't expect to be followed."


	8. The Keep

Perching in the tree was uncomfortable. It was made even more uncomfortable by the fact that Sam was certain there was some sort of bug crawling up his leg. A large bug. Make that a very large bug. The fog that had caused the damp to settle in his clothes didn't help either. The fear in the pit of his stomach that told him Jixie was hurt or dead or that he'd never see her again was probably the worst. All in all, this was not starting out as a comfortable night.

The keep before him was made of stone and fairly gleamed with magic sigils and signs. There were spells for fire protection and to prevent flooding, as well as plenty that were meant to add strengthen the walls. There was a large central building, the highest window in which a candle burned. A tall stone wall encircled this and the courtyard in the front, with two tall towers in the back and two shorter, broader towers in the front. From his current position he counted thirteen...no, fourteen guards on the ramparts. Archers were posted along the walls, as well as standing in each tower. George had stressed the importance of finding out when the guards changed, but the clouds covering the moon made that impossible.

George was looking for ways in, but with such efficent protection, Sam doubted Lord Evrin would be less that efficent in any aspect of the keep. Their best bet, he thought, would be to tear the wall apart piece by piece. His outlook for the whole rescue was very dismal. When the got in, how would the even find Jixie? She could be anywhere! If they ever got that far, finding her could prove even more impossible that getting inside. The whole stupid thing was impossible.

Something wet hit the back of his neck. Reaching back, his hand came a way clean. _Oh no..._Sam thought, looking up at the sky. _Not the..._

Another fat drop landed on the bridge of his nose. Wiping his face with his shirt sleeve he sighed. The rain was coming faster, and soon his clothes would be soaked through.

Resigned to a miserable night, he settled down to wait.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this is so short. The next part is taking a while to figure out, so hopefully that will be like, three or four times ( at least) as long as this.


	9. Rescue

The plan was simple. Fool proof. Perfect. There was no way it should fail. Should. If George had learned anything in his years as the king of thieves in Corus it was that plans tended not to go as planned. In fact, if anything could go wrong, it was best to assume it would go wrong. Because no plan was ever truly perfect.

He silently thanked the gods for his wife. If she hadn't insisted he bring Sam along the keep would be exactly what it seemed - impregnable. Even now, the sat in the tree where he'd kept watch all night, unraveling the spells that guarded the keep. If they were lucky no one would notice. There were enough spells that the few that they needed to remove wouldn't be missed for several days, or until someone decided to check each one individually.

Several minutes later Sam dropped from the branches of the tree and stretched his aching limbs. His whole body hurt from spending the night in that tree. He silently vowed never to climb another tree again.

"It's all set." he said wearily. The spells had been powerful; not the cheap rubbish he was used to dealing with when he helped Jixie. "What's next?" George was anxiously inspecting his set of lock picks, a habit he couldn't get rid of.

"Are you any good at imitating noises?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"What sort of...noises?"

"Big ones. A falling tree, a dying animal, an avalanche?" Sam's expression was perplexed, but he shrugged.

"I don't know about noises, but I could knock some trees about if you want. Would that work?"

"That might be even better. If they have something to actually look at they might be more tempted to investigate. The less guards there are inside, the better."

"So what exactly do you plan to do?"

"Since we know there's only two shifts of guards, if we can draw even ten of them away, that will be nearly a fourth of them. That leaves less chance for us to be caught."

"Once you get in, how do you plan to find her?" George smiled grimly.

"That part will be the simplest. If Evrin thinks he's being attacked, he'll go to her first. It's only natural to think that she's caused it somehow. After all, why else would anyone bother attacking him?"

"I never thought of it that way," Sam said, respect dawning on his face. Then a thought occurred to him and his face paled.

"But if he thinks she's the cause, won't he..." It wasn't necessary to finish. They both knew what he meant.

"Aye lad, he would. But that's why I'm going to be there."

* * *

Jarod was startled out of his sleep by an earsplitting noise. It was followed shortly by an awful creaking then another deafening crash. Rolling out of bed he pulled on his boots and tunic, then ran outside into the fading daylight.

It was about time for him to be rising but the manner in which he'd been awakened caused him to grumble and muster under his breath anyway.

He raced into the guard house at the top of the tower.

"What in Mithros' name is going on?" he demanded. He was watch commander, and he was certain the sounds of snapping, breaking and groaning that resounded through the air was he second-in-command, Jakhon's fault. Everything that went wrong seemed to be related to him, wether directly or indirectly. Jakhon motioned him over to the window.

"We're not exactly sure," he replied. Jarod stared at the forest occupying the land at the base of the hill where the keep sat. There was another snap as a tree toppled and landed against another, bringing that one down as well.

"It's got to be ogres or a giant," he murmured. "Send a squad to investigate." Another tree fell and he changed his mind. "No, make that two squads. Your men can rest when they return. And, if it is a giant, they are to get back here as fast as they can and we'll deal with it then." The men jumped into action, though it took longer than he'd have liked to organize themselves enough to complete the task to which he'd set them.

"Send someone to tell Lord Evrin as soon as we know what's out there. He said he wants to be kept updated on everything that goes on, and I think this is worthy of his attention." Another crash shook the ground as it echoed through the air.

"And hurry. Whatever it is, we''ll need to be prepared if it makes it this far."

* * *

Sam was perched in yet another tree, watching the men from the keep in their navy blue tabards and dull grey mail as they searched the newly made clearing for the source of the destruction of the trees that lay around them. Not that it was much of a clearing, littered with fallen trees and broken branches, as well as a multitude of leaves that had just begun to change color. He shifted as the bark dug into his back - he was really beginning to hate trees, and didn't care if he ever saw another one in his life.

He couldn't help smiling to himself as one of the men scratched his head, clearly confounded. They wouldn't find anything but the mess he'd created; the lack of immortals would be puzzling. He knew that if he were in their position he would be tearing his hair out in frustration. He didn't like things that didn't make sense.

His instructions were to wait for darkness to fall before expecting George. The Baron was to wait in the woods at the base of the keep until the darkness would hide their movements before returning here. Hopefully he would be bringing Jixie with him.

It seemed like forever before the men gave up and went back to the keep to report they'd found nothing. The tree was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute. Sam didn't see how some animals could stand to _live _in the things. He'd had enough of them in the past two days to last a lifetime.

It was just getting dark enough that he was finding it hard to see when his ears picked up the sound of quiet voices. He tensed. What if it was a guard from the keep? He let out a sigh of relief when George and Jixie walked into the moonlit clearing. Slowly he began his descent from the infernal tree. When his feet finally touched the ground he had to stretch. His body didn't take well to being stuck in the same position for more than twenty minutes, and it had been nearly an hour since he'd last descended. As soon as he straightened, Jixie nearly knocked him over with the force of her hug.

"I thought you were s'posed to be home," she said, smiling.

"You were s'posed to be home too," he retorted. "Now, I think it's time I heard the whole story about these magic stones that keep causing so much trouble."

* * *

A/N: Was that long enough? I'll try to make the next one even longer. :)


	10. An Un Welcome

"What about the girl? I thought you said she stole the stone for her own reasons, and likely had it hidden somewhere at home." Lord Evrin fidgeted anxiously.

"Well," he began, and the pair of stone cold grey eyes in the mirror narrowed, marring the beautiful alabaster face. He wiped his surprisingly moist palms on the soft fabric of his tunic.

"That's what she said." He took a deep breath and continued, "I'll send men to search the town if you like, but Seigert is an insignificant blot on the map. Surely it would be more beneficial tp wait until she brings it into the open - no one there would tell a stranger like me a word if they knew anything..." He realized that he was rambling and stopped suddenly, clamping his lips tightly together, so much so that they seemed to disappear.

"No. Clearly the girl has allies if she managed to escape you. It's not a feat a simple country girl would be capable of. If word gets out that you have another stone in your possession..." She didn't need to finish. The icy tone in which she spoke did more to disconcert him than her words would.

"I'll send men after the stone as soon as I can..." She shook her head so slightly he almost missed it.

"No? Then what...?"

"I want the girl brought to me." A sharp look cut off his protests. "I have no care as to how you do it, so long as it is done. Things will become...unpleasant if I am forced to leave my guest to accomplish things myself."

"Understood my lady." Both were quiet for a minute.

"You still looking for the red stone then?" he asked. She nodded curtly, as though unwilling to admit that she had yet to succeed. It was strange how much their relationship had changed since they were children. It had been many long years since he'd seen her; up until three months ago he'd not known of her whereabouts. Then she'd appeared on his doorstep, a powerful mage, powerful beyond his reckoning, with no trace of the wild, impetuous girl he'd once known and loved. She'd gotten him caught up in this insane quest, and here he was, about to go off and capture some half-grown wench. Things had been so much simpler back then.

The awkward silence hung in the air, neither of them able to find something to say.

"Well, we've both plenty to do, so I'll leave you to your work," she said. He nodded, feeling strangely tired.

"Good luck Rihadon," he murmured. She barely caught the words, and her emotions showed through in a mixture of confusion and anguish.

"Yes, good luck," she replied quietly, and he let the connection fade.

* * *

The Swoop had never, ever looked so inviting and welcome to Jixie as it did at this very moment. From the second it's stone towers peeked above the tree line, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. She couldn't help the grin that spread over her face. _What now? _She wondered. _These stones are turning out to be more trouble than they're worth. What is so important about them anyway? _She was about to ask George the same, but a very worried looking Alanna came racing out to meet them. Her fiery red hair was disheveled, and her purple eyes frantic.

"What's wrong?" George asked, his face a mask of concern. Jixie felt the beginnings of unease stir in the pit of her stomach at the worry evident in every line of the Lioness's body. There wasn't much that could make her react so. She bit her lip, harder than she'd intended, for she tasted blood.

"A messenger just arrived from Seigert. A boy by the name of Luke." She looked to Jixie and Sam for recognition. Jixie clearly remembered Luke, a tall, gangly boy of fifteen. He'd been her neighbor for as long as she could remember.

"What on earth did he want?" George asked, his own voice tense. Alanna's eyes flashed, gnawing at her bottom lip anxiously. The vague unease she'd felt earlier turned into heavy dread. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. It was a moment before Alanna answered, and the brief silence seemed to stretch on forever, delaying the inevitable.

"Seigert is burning."

* * *

A/N: Mwahaha! I really love the ending. I'm exceedingly fond of cliff hangers, and I promise to update soon...relatively. Please tell me what you think of this chapter. Personally, I think it's the best so far. It was so much easier to write, and I'm really getting into this. It didn't even take forever, as the other ones have.

...In case you don't remember, which you probably don't, since I didn't, Rihadon is actually mentioned earlier...in chapter two.

Also, I really hope this is long enough.


	11. Remains

* * *

Jixie stared at the smouldering, blackened remains of the small fishing village, Siegert. It had ben her home for many years, a constant presence in her uncertain life.

Gone.

And it was all her fault. That stupid rock. If she hadn't taken it in the first place none of this would have ever happened. The people who had lived here had lived simple lives, were used to working hard for little. If she hadn't intruded, they would have lived out relatively peaceful lives, free of the power struggles that were ripping the country apart from inside.

Yet she hadn't really had a choice. She should have known from past experience they would go after whoever was closest to her, and that was certainly the people who lived in Siegert. But if she hadn't...she shuddered to think of what Lord Evrin would have done with another of those stones. The one she knew he still had was bad enough. She only wished she knew what they did. Perhaps George knew, or could tell her where to look. The more information they had about these mystical stones, the better.

They were still in a very precarious position, with scant knowledge of their multiple enemies. They had to tread carefully if they wanted to live long enough to make it back to Corus. She really wished Sam had stayed at Pirates Swoop, but being his stubborn self he'd insisted he was to accompany them. George, surprisingly enough had agreed with him coming along, no matter how she had protested. She didn't like the idea of him getting hurt because she was crazy enough to get herself involved in such dangerous business.

"It's all my fault," she whispered, not realizing Sam was standing just behind her. He put his arm around her shoulder.

"No it's not. There was nothing you could do." She snorted at his words, which brought no comfort. Not that she wanted any. It was better if she came to terms with her feelings than to have others soothe them. That was how she had always done it.

"If I hadn't taken that stupid stone in the first place, nothing would have happened." He squeezed her shoulders silently and left, realizing that she wanted to be left alone. She was exceedingly stubborn when she wanted to be, and this seemed to be one of those moments.

* * *

George was talking to a tall, well built man, late middle aged with gray threading his beard and soot smudged on his face. His clothes were plain and well worn, but not shabby, and his crinkled eyes gave him an air of kindness and authority that made it plain that he was the headman of the village. His suspicions were confirmed when the man had introduced himself as Leroy Gates, town headman. Sometimes he thought he was far too good at reading people to be allowed, though it had saved his life on many occasions.

"What happened?" he asked calmly, intent on making sure the man felt comfortable in his presence. He was more likely to tell the truth if he thought he could trust George. Of course, he could use his position as Baron of Pirates Swoop to get what he wanted, but the less people who knew who he was the better. They were trying to evade Lord Evrin's men, as well as the mysterious third party that Jixie had mentioned, and going anonymous was best. The man was obviously shaken by the events that had occurred, and it was imperative that they knew what had transpired.

The man's voice was steady and quiet, but not in a shy way. It was a voice that people listened to, one that didn't need to be raised to be heard.

"'Bout half a day, mayhap more, but still less than a day ago, a group of men arrived, saying if we didn't hand over some magical something or another they'd burn the village down."

"What kind of magical something or another?" George asked patiently. The man shrugged.

"A pebble of some kind. If we'd had any clue what they was talking about we'd have done anything to save everything." George was struck by the fact that he hadn't mentioned Jixie. She played a major part in the stones original presence here, and Lord Evrin was searching for her at the moment.

"What did they look like?" He asked. He would get the basic information before enquiring about Jixie. The man pursed his eyes, a look of concentration on his face as though struggling to remember specific details that he'd once known but had slipped his mind. George wouldn't blame him if he couldn't remember much - the tragedy of the destruction of the village would be a large shock to him and it wouldn't be easy to recover from it.

"Hmmm..." He finally said. " I think they was wearing dark blue, or mayhap it was black. A dark color of some sort at any rate, with silver embroidery on some of their tunics." George's lips thinned. That matched his memory of Lord Evrin's colors, at least partly.

"Any symbol, coat of arms of any sort?" The man squinted.

"Eh, perhaps a sword and a hawk? Or a sword and a raven? Perhaps a sword and a fish? No, that's not it...perhaps a serpent??" George sighed. That wasn't Lord Evrin. Perhaps the third party? If only he could be more certain, then he might have a base to start from.

"Did they ask about anything else?" The mans eyes hardened.

"No." His answer was certain and clear, as though there were no doubt about what he wanted to say. There was a hard edge to his voice that said his question had touched a nerve. Jixie appeared from the charred remains of what had clearly once been the biggest building in the town, perhaps the meeting hall?

"Don't worry about protecting me Uncle. I know they were looking for me." The older man started at the sound of her voice and turned sharply.

"Jixie?" he asked, as though she were an apparation. "This is impossible! They said you were dead!" She put her hand on his shoulder to steady him, turning to George, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Why would they do that?"

* * *

A/N: Honestly, I really really like this chapter, though I'm not sure why. Tell me if you like it, cuz I really want to know what you think.


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